Africa-Press – Uganda. At least 369 Congolese refugees, who left Uganda for Kenya after their country was gripped by political uncertainty, are stranded in Tororo and Busia Town without food and shelter.
Ninety-two refugees, including 62 children and 30 adults, are camped at the dilapidated Old Court premises in Tororo Town, while 277 have camped at God’s Property Church in Busia Town. They include 163 children and 114 adults.
The refugees had settled in the refugee camps of Kakuma and Kalobeyi I and II in Northern Kenya for over six months, but because of the violence, they have returned to Uganda.
Mr Olaro Okello, a refugee, says whereas he is “happy” to have crossed (from Kenya) to Uganda, he has challenges, including accessing food, shelter, beddings and water.
“We don’t have any food, are just depending on handouts from Good Samaritans and are sleeping in this old open structure,” Mr Olaro said in an interview at the weekend.
Fideli Ndimana, one of the refugees, says he has been forced to sell off some of his belongings to raise money for transport back to Uganda from the Kenyan camps.
He cited violence and hostility by the host community (Turkana), whom he alleged have been stealing their food, clothes and other property.
Panda Hekizimana, one of the refugees camped at God’s Property Church in Busia Town, said they only have a cup of porridge in the morning, and have to wait until the evening to be served maize flour (posho) and boiled cabbage.
He, however, hailed the church pastor, Lawrence Lumu, for being “very receptive” and “trying hard” to provide them with porridge and posho.
Sadiki Bakunzi, who said he had left his wife and two of his children in Kakuma, said many of the children were getting sick, yet access to treatment was hard. Daily Monitor established that the majority of the children were stunted and underweight.
Pastor Lumu said the number of refugees at his Church was overwhelming, adding that whereas some church members had been supportive by providing food and cooking for the refugees, they were in a “tricky situation”.
“We are serving them one meal per day, yet the majority of the refugees are children who need to at least have a balanced diet,” he said.
Pastor Lumu said sanitation facilities at his Church were being overstretched, while water was in short supply, raising fears of an outbreak of hygiene-related diseases, especially diarrhoea.
Mr Grace Kanuna, the Busia deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), confirmed the presence of refugees
However, Mr Kanuna noted that as a district, they do not have any budget to cater for emergencies, especially refugees and have been contacting the Office of the Prime Minister to repatriate them to their camps.
In Tororo, the RDC, Mr Nixon Owole, said: “Yes! We are having several refugees and have temporarily taken them to Old Court premises for shelter as we communicate to the Office of the Prime Minister for action.”
Ms Peace Mutuuzo, the State Minister for Gender, who was in Busia and Tororo to monitor various government programmes, promised to report the matter to the Office of the Prime Minister for immediate action.
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